The Jackson County Board of Zoning Appeals will consider a request for a special exception and a variance for a wireless communication tower in the Medora area during its meeting at 7:30 p.m. today at the courthouse annex, 220 E. Walnut St., Brownstown.

The request to erect the 260-foot self-supporting tower comes from Capital Telecom Holdings LLC and Verizon Wireless.

If approved, the tower would be erected on a 10,000-square-foot site on the east side of County Road 1100W, south of County Road 625S. The site is part of 38 acres owned by Bette Huddleston of 6259 S. County Road 1100W, Medora.

According to a letter from Michael Fahim, an engineer with Verizon Wireless, the area currently is experiencing high demand for wireless high-speed data, and growth forecasts have triggered the need for an additional site in the area. The tower will provide all Verizon customers in the area with the best experience on their 4G wireless device, he said.

The special exception is required because the property currently is zoned for forest and recreational use, while the variance is required because of the proposed height of the tower.

The tower, which would be engineered for Verizon Wireless equipment and three other co-locators, and equipment buildings will be surrounded by a 6-foot-high chain-link fence.

The meeting is open to the public and press.